Auxvasse appoints fire chief, commission members

Mayor Kevin Phares appointed Nicholas Kaufman as fire chief at Tuesday evening’s Auxvasse City Council meeting. Kaufman has been serving as interim fire chief since November of 2009 when the previous fire chief, Jeff Lindsey, stepped down and moved out of state.

Alderman Terry Walker said he would inform Kaufman to come to city hall in the near future to get sworn in.

The city had been looking to reconvene its planning and zoning commission but lacked enough members to do so. Tuesday evening, the mayor listed five citizens that had contacted the city about becoming members. The council approved the mayor’s recommendation to appoint the five new members. They are Bruce Graham, Eldora Lowry, Daryll Walker, Steve Knipp and Trey Baumgartner. These five, along with Phares and Alderwoman Stephanie Leverett will make up the city’s planning and zoning commission.

Phares set the first commission meeting to be held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 15, at city hall. At this meeting, the board will appoint a chairperson, secretary and other officers and discuss planning and zoning ordinances that have been waiting for the board to reconvene.

Phares said he wanted the commission members appointed before the public hearing is held on annexing the property where a new proposed Dollar General store may be built. The public hearing is set for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8, at city hall. The property owner of the land — located on the north side of Route E, east of Casey’s General Store — has requested the land be annexed to the city. Deputy City Clerk Kristin Edwards said once the property is annexed, the owner must give the city four weeks notice for a request to rezone the land before the request can be addressed by the planning and zoning commission. The owner, Overland Properties, has notified the city that it would petition the city after annexation to be rezoned as commercial property.